Tanus too had been impressed by the small orbs of pleasantly warm light, brightening up the shaded cavern walls. They illuminated the drawings, allowing the Knight to take a closer look.

"Some of these look ancient..." He thought out loud.
"I don't think this Cave is travelled much, but even so, we must remain cautious. I say we investigate further. Perhaps it will, like the Magician says, allow us at least some of the way protected from the weather outside." He told Prince Cedric, before climbing back on his horse.

Just a mere day before the men reached their current position, a group unknown to most of the men in the cavern entrance were going about their daily lives, which to some would be considered roguish; crimes punishable by death by both the Egyptians and the Eldonians. Rohesia, a woman of around 20 years, sat around a fire with some of her fellow thieves, brewing a stew for them to eat. She turned to face Malum, an equally secretive man, and spoke.

"Malum. Any news from the trackers yet?" Rohesia said, referring to the men sent out to track for signs of Eldonians travelling over the mountains towards Egypt. They knew the two cities were planning to trade with one another, and it was a perfect opportunity to steal precious cargo, safe within their territory, without risking the lives of their own travelling further outwards, disguised and vulnerable.

There were two large cities in the mountains, both claimed by the most malicious of men. One city was called Frodan, which was low down in the mountains and completely surrounded by cliffs. It was a strange formation in the mountain, as though God had used massive cookie cutter and taken out a perfect circular chunk from the center of the mountain. The sheer cliff walls on all side were unclimbable and the only way in and out was through one massive tunnel that had been blasted into the side of the rock.
This made Frodan one of the best kept secrets among thieves, a place they could be safe from outside law enforcement and sacred as far as something sacred could go among thieves. There was really only one simple law within the city; no one was permitted to commit murder within the walls of Frodan.

Which was why Malum loathed to reside there.

Malum, the King of Thieves, rather preferred murder. It was one of his favourite pastimes so he had taken up regular residence in the second city claimed by cut throats, a place affectionately referred to by most as The Underworld.

Buried deep beneath the rocky mountains lay this city, a dome of rock covered in green glowing stones encased the ceiling, providing just the right amount of light to see well while also enough shadow to not be seen as many liked it. There were many secret ways in and out of the underworld and one never knew quite who or what they would find there.

The King of Thieves was a simple man. He wore black pants, a combination of cotton and leather to allow for movement and durability. He rarely wore a shirt but rather was adorned with an Egyptian wesekh collar of gold that covered most of his upper chest, occasionally accompanied by a warm cloak if he was going out. His wrists bore golden bracers and there was more gold woven into his pure white hair. His hair was probably the most notable thing about Malum at first look. He was not old by any means, perhaps mid-twenties but his hair was as pure white as fresh fallen snow, a stark contrast to his tanned skin.

At second look, the next strangest thing one would see was his eyes. One a dark blue and the other green. There were fictional tales of Malum being birthed by the devil or Osiris himself, a perfect reincarnation of evil by looks alone, though his personality did seem to match his unnatural appearance.

Malum was a very hands-on type of King. Sure he would delegate as needed-after all it was more efficient to do so but anything he could handle himself, well, he loved it.

"They should be back shortly" Malum replied and no sooner had he spoken than the pair of scouts came into view and soon approached.

"It does seem to be an Eldonian company" one spoke, "Judging by the amount of armed men, they might even be travelling with the prince."

A grin spread across Malum's features, "The prince of Eldonia? Now there's a treat. And with Lakar dead they won't even have a mage on their side. It's almost too easy"

"Malum, if i may...perhaps the damsel in distress is required to drop their guard before you attack? Sure saves me travelling all the way to Eldonia again for a puny catch." She said, hoping the King of thieves would agree to her plan. Rohesia had spent the last 11 years with the thieves, being taken by the catchers at a young age, while she was homeless. They trained her to use her beauty to fool men, and she was almost an expert at it. Her curly red hair that fell neatly down her back, perfect features, and skin tight dresses stolen from Eldonia could mislead many single men in to falling in love with her, and that is when the real fun started. That was not her only talent however, Rohesia was an expertly accurate aim with throwing knives, and could assassinate from a far distance, removing any chance of being seen. She knew the streets of Eldonia well, having survived the streets for many months before her capture.

"Just imagine what cargo they hold if the Prince is with them. Weapons, no doubt, but nothing is of more value to the King than his own son. Pretend to be Egyptian bandits, set up a ransom demand, it's almost too perfect!" Rohesia exclaimed, getting excited with her own plan, so much so she forgot her place.

"My apologies King Malum, i will agree to anything you plan, of course." She finished, lowering her head towards the ground.

Malum thought about it for a moment, "I knew there was a reason I kept you around" he grinned at her, "Let's see what path they take first and intercept them on our own turf." Though something was bothering him. It did seem too easy, too perfect. What were they missing? What did the Eldonians have up their sleeve? Or were they really just that stupid to underestimate him?

The next day the scouts reported in again.

"They headed up the mountain" one spoke, "but it looks like they're using the high tunnel instead of the over path."

Malum was intrigued, "Now, how did they find out about that tunnel?" he wondered aloud. It certainly wasn't common knowledge among anyone who was of an honest profession.

At any rate, that could very well work to their advantage. He turned to Ro with a grin, "Then we will strike along the Stone Valley. Steep hills of rock with keep them close together and if they choose to retreat, it will be back into the darkness of the tunnel. Either way, we will have the advantage."

He leaned back, his strange mismatched eyes watching the fire. The light reflected in his eyes with an air of excitement. Malum loved this sort of thing.

"Excellent idea. I will pretend i was kidnapped by Egyptian slavers, but i escaped and got lost. then you are free to attack while i distract them." She suggested, planning with a smile on her face. She was happy that Malum regarded her as a good thief, allowing her to take an important role in the action. She had grown confident of her skills, but lacked in other things. She wasn't as smart as the older thieves, who chose to take a different path after crimes in their own nations. Rohesia relied on her good looks and irresistible body to get her out of everything, and so far it had not failed her. If her victim did not fall for her tricks, then her daggers were not far behind. But apart from her street skills and dagger throwing, Rohesia was far from smart. She could not read or write, and the only school she ever knew, was in Frodan, where the classes were far from academic.

There was no discrimination in Frodan however. Providing you were able to steal, kill, or trick your way in to riches, and kept your mouth shut if captured, you were welcome. Frodan had remained a secret for many years, and the only way people knew to come in, was by a chain of talkers who stalked the streets of Egypt and Eldonia, checking for any signs of informants or guards. Then of course there were the snatchers, who kept a close eye on homeless children; potential thieves in the making. Rohesia had only been 8 years old when she became homeless; easily taught the ways of the common thief. When she was young she was taught how to pick pockets, and protect herself by using small knives and daggers. As Rohesia got older and started to become a women, the thieves saw her real talents shine through; she was beautiful, and men fell for her damsel in distress routine quicker than you could say 'Stop, Thief!"

"I'd better get a head-start then if we are to reach them by sun-down. Are you ready?" Ro asked, looking to Malum and the other thieves. Ro was ready, with a pale green Eldonian dress adorned with rips, with an equally torn jacket too small for her to fasten. The clothing was dirty and worn and she had freshly painted bruising on her face and legs. Ro looked like she had been dragged through hell and back; just the look she was hoping for.

As the thieves prepared to attack, Sir Tanus and the rest of the party were slowly making their way through the tunnel, which was getting darker by the minute.
"Sundown isn't far away lads, i think we should rest here, and make a fire using our remaining wood supplies. Hemset, you should save your energy for tomorrow. We may need more of your light then." He suggested, before turning to Prince Caldric, speaking much quieter.

"I fear if we go any further we will be in pure darkness and vulnerable in the unknown. I would much prefer to send a few men forward with torches and see where the cave opens up again, than rely on Hemset's light the whole way. I'm sure he would prefer that too. What say you?" He finished. As impressed as he had been that the boys light had lasted this long, he did not wish to risk the men's lives if his bright orbs decided to fade away once the sun could not reach them.

“Hannah, Hannah, Hannah, stop” Malum patted the hand that was massaging his shoulders. The girl wore a loose simple dress that was only really tied onto her around her neck and at her hips. A thick leather collar seemed to be stitched on around her neck as well as two leather bracers that took up most of her forearms. The dress covered only the essentially modest areas but left the tattoo that had been placed over her heart in perfect view. It was of a skeletal hand, grasping a beating heart. He gave a sigh and pulled her around to face him, looking her in the eye, “I’m afraid the time has come” he told her gently as he rose to his feet.

Hannah startled, looking up at Malum, he couldn’t possibly mean… “sire?” her voice was small and fearful.

“Ssshhh” Malum reached out and pulled her close into a comforting hug, “There there, breathe darling.” She melted against him, his touch was so gentle and soothing. “I’m afraid there’s just no helping it though."

She clung to the kiss as long as she could but he did pull her away after a moment. Her eyes still pleaded with him desperately, “Please, I’ll do anything you want, I swear”

He gave a swift kick to her stomach, she yelped and fell back from the warmth of the fire.
Thud.
A dagger dropped down next to her.

She stared at the dagger a moment before looking up at Malum again, her King, her perfect King. His eyes were steady and insistent and she knew in that moment that there was no escape from it. Hannah’s fingers wrapped around the dagger and with trembling hands she lifted the blade to her heart.

Malum saw her hesitation, there was almost always hesitation “You can do it my dear. Deep breath and it’s all over” he smiled encouragingly.

She nodded slowly, he was right. Of course he was right. This was the only way to go and… and at least it seemed to make him smile. With a deep breath, she plunged the dagger as deeply into her own heart as she could manage. The pain was beyond anything she could have imagined, but in the end, after the screams she still smiled.

Malum’s smile instantly faded and he sighed, “useless” he rolled his eyes.

"Where's the fun in attacking at night?" asked the King in response to Ro, "at least give them a fighting chance. We'll meet them in the morning, after a good night's rest."



"You need not waste concern on me" Hemset replied to Tanus stiffly. "I am well capable." how dare the knight imply otherwise? Even if he was starting to get tired, which, honestly he was. It wasn't as though a simple light spell took much energy, it was more the fact that they had been walking for hours with it. But did Tanus really have to bring it up? It is because he yet sees a child. Hemset thought to himself with a frown. They all do. but there wasn't much he could do about it for now.
With a glance to the prince, it was clear that Cedric agreed with Tanus so Hemset withdrew and did as he was told, though a tad begrudgingly.


Cedric watched the mage go off to give the soldiers enough light so they could light their fires. He shook his head a little, "Still yet the mouth on that boy." he commented quietly before turning back to the knight, "I value your wisdom in this Sir Tanus. Let it be so."

Rohesia watched the poor girl take her own life as the King had commanded. It reminded her just how fragile life could be living among the thieves. Malum was the king for good reason; nobody dared test his authority, and the females were most at risk. She at least felt lucky than Malum had wanted her using her skills in Eldonia, rather than in his harem with the other stupid girls. But Ro knew, as any other woman in Frodan did, If the King of thieves decided he had uses for one of the girls, then they would do as they were bid.

"A much better idea my King. I will leave in the morning then. Goodnight Malum." Rohesia said, bowing her head slightly downwards; enough to show her respect to the King, but not quite enough to show her fears towards the man. Rohesia dreaded disappointing Malum, for she knew it would most likely end in her death. She would have to be perfect tomorrow, especially with the precious Prince being part of the catch. Ro headed back to her sleeping room, shared with a few other girls, and thought about the plan ahead.

Meanwhile the Eldonian's were settling down to rest once the Princes tent had been set up and the fire was burning; the soldiers rotating once every two hours closer to the entrance for signs of mountain dwelling creatures seeking to use the cave as their resting place, and of course, although much less likely, for any persons seeking to cause harm to them or their precious cargo.

Tanus was still angered by the Magician's attitude. His bitter tone and constant frowning was starting to get on his nerves. If any of his soldiers had that attitude during training or expeditions they would be the first to be given a lashing, but the King did not want that of his Mage.

"If your father had not personally instructed me to be nice, and trust me i'm trying, i'd love to be teaching that boy some manners right now. My men would never get away with scowling like that at his superiors, useful or not." Tanus said softly towards Caldric, so the boy would not hear, with a tone clearly suggesting his desire to strike the boy.

"He should be happy to be out of the castle for once, i know i am. All those half naked Egyptian women to entertain us once we get off these God forsaken mountains. And one in particular for you to look at my Prince." Tanus said, cheering himself up with the thought of Caldric trying his best to impress the Egyptian royalty, before leaving the Princes tent to sleep outside with the men beside the fire, his watch was not yet for a couple of hours.

((You keep calling him Caldric instead of Cedric... I'm not actually sure which name I prefer XD ))

Hemset had taken up a place leaning against the wall of the tunnel. He didn't really think he would be getting much sleep this night. They were in Malum's territory now and he knew it, and it chilled him to the bone despite the warm cloak that wrapped around him. He could only hope that they would move as swiftly as possible and leave this place behind sooner rather than later.

Cedric eyed the boy for a moment, "I'm afraid I have to agree" he admitted to Tanus, "Not that he has ever been overly cheery, but does he not seem... more so lately?" asked the prince with a tad of uncertainty, perhaps he was just reading into something that wasn't there-it wasn't as though he knew anything about Hemset really.

When Tanus brought up women Cedric had to chuckle, "Perhaps when we get there we will see if the mage is indeed of the stronger sex" he joked as though attributing Hemset's moodiness with that of a woman's. "As for me, I intend to feast my eyes on more than just one." he smirked as Tanus headed out. With a content sigh the prince lay back to rest.

Before the morning sun could rise, the thieves were out of bed and moving into position. Malum had chosen an area not far from the exit to the tunnel cave, where the path became fairly narrow with steep sloping rock on either side that would be quick and easy to slide down to meet their victims in what would surely be a swift battle. They need only to wait for their company to arrive.

By morning, or what was guessed to be morning in the dark cave, Hemset had hardly slept. In fact sleep at all had proven rather impossible, leaving him to resort to meditating which to be honest was something he was still working on. This would be the third night in a row with steadily less and less proper sleep.

Sensing movement the mage opened his eyes, the fires had burned very low so he rose and summoned back the fire-flies to light their way. Seeing that they were nearly ready to move on he looked at his horse and frowned. There were no trees here to help him climb the stead. The knights' squires had been good enough to care for the beast for him, but he hardly expected them to help him mount it as well. Not to mention how embarrassing it had been the first time-and how glad he had been that no one had seen the second attempt the day before.

Perhaps it was better to walk, briskly mind you but he was reasonably certain he could keep up. They horse snorted and looked at him expectantly. "What're you looking at?" hissed the mage quietly at the beast. This creature couldn't possibly be judging him to, could it?

As the men in the cave were setting off to continue through the tunnel, the thieves were set in place, ready for their attack. It was now up to Rohesia, the poor, beaten girl to fool them; her favourite part of any hustle. She picked up a sharp rock from the frozen ground and grazed her knees enough to draw a little blood, allowing her to spread some on her painted wounds beneath her eyes, as if she had been struck across the face.

She crept in to the cave entrance, well behind the soldiers, and sat on the floor in a ball. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with as much air as possible, then let out a deafening, ear piercing scream, which she hoped would travel far enough in to the cave to reach the men ahead. Once her cries ended she began shouting one by one, "Please. Somebody! Anybody! Help me!"

Her voice had indeed travelled as far as she intended, as two of the soldiers furthest back from the group turned their heads, clearly startled; not expecting any company to be this far up the mountain ridges.
"Sir! Tanus Sir!" One of the men called forward to the Knight, who turned his horse immediately to the man that called.
"Wait here Prince Cedric, i'll go see what the alarm is" Tanus said, before heading to the two that had heard the screams.
"What is it?" Tanus requested, before shushing the men to listen. He too heard the eerie scream, following by requests for help.
"A woman? What is a woman doing all the way up here?" He wondered.

Tanus thought a moment, before looking back at the men who had called the alarm.
"You two, draw your weapons and ride back to the entrance to check it out, i will be right behind! Go!" Tanus then went back to the Prince and the rest of the men.
"I need 5 more men ready to fight. Until i am certain it is simply a woman in need of help i am not prepared to drop my guard. Cedric, i would much prefer you to stay with the Wagon until i am certain it is safe, but i will not stop you. Hemset, if you are able to heal, or help, then please come with me, and quickly!" Tanus said, lifting the boy up on to his horse without warning. He did not have time to waste on waiting for the magician to try climbing the horse himself.

Soon enough the men had reached Rohesia, curled up on the floor crying.
"Please, don't hurt me! I'm only 16! I just want to go home!" Rohesia cried out towards the soldiers.
"What happened? How did you get here?" One of the soldiers asked, climbing down from his horse, creeping slowly towards the girl, who was clearly hurt as far as he was concerned.

"They took me! I...I was on my way to church and they took me! I'm so scared. Please!" She continued, trying not to say too much, with one hand on her bruised face. One of the men got closer to the girl as the other searched the cave entrance in case her attackers returned. Tanus and the rest of the backup were almost there.

"Who took you girl. Are they close?" He asked, kneeling down now, his hand loosing grip on his sword.
"E...Egyptians, i'm sure they were. They said i was a slave now, and if i wasn't quiet they would kill me! I tried to fight but they beat me till i fell asleep. I...I don't know where i am. I ran away as soon as i could!" She cried loudly in to her hands, before looking at the soldier kneeling next to her, putting on her greatest performance yet.

"Please keep me safe. I don't want to die. I don't want to be a slave!" She shouted, burying her head on the soldiers armour who had totally dropped his guard and put his arms around her, just as Tanus and the other men reached them.

"What happened? Who is the girl?" Tanus requested.
"It's ok Sir. Slavers i think, but she escaped. She's hurt bad Sir." The man holding Ro said, clearly sympathizing.

Tanus lead his men out of the cave to look for the slavers but saw nothing. They continued to scan the horizon as Rohesia planned her next move. The thieves were ready to slide down any moment, as soon as she called out.

"Sir?" Rohesia said, releasing her grip slightly and wiping her eyes, before slowly reaching for the set of daggers hidden behind her. The soldier looked deep in to her eyes.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I'm sorry Sir..." She said, before taking one of the daggers and stabbing the soldier in the neck. He began to choke instantly and fell to the floor, dying. She threw another dagger to the men at the entrance, hitting one of Tanus's men in the back of the leg.

"NOW!!" Rohesia shouted, giving the thieves the signal to attack. She picked up rest of her daggers and prepared to join the attack.

"Ambush!!!" Tanus shouted, lifting his shield preparing to fight, following by the rest of his men.
"Hemset! protect Cedric!" He shouted, as he saw the first of the thieves begin to show.

Cedric gave a nod to Tanus and watched the knight go to investigate, though the prince was definitely curious and strayed to try and see what was going on.

Hemset gave a bit of a yelp as he was unexpectedly hoisted up to his horse's saddle, but he regained composure pretty quickly and followed Tanus. Healing was not one of his better schools of magic but perhaps there was something else he could help with?
Something wasn't sitting right with him though, the mage looked back towards the prince, then cast his eyes upward to the high sloped walls of the narrow path.

And then she called out and the walls suddenly trembled as great boulders came crashing down towards the soldiers below, followed shortly after by cutthroat men. The Thieves pounced from their places of hiding instantly, descending upon the unsuspecting soldiers below with swift speed.

Hemset's eyes widened and in an instant he had slid off his horse-which was probably for the best because the beast was beginning to panic from the sudden onslaught of crushing stones and it took off.
He landed in a crouched position, laying the mage staff gently on the ground with his hand over it he began to whisper words into the wind. His eyes faded into pools of white as a pulse went into the earth and suddenly five foot tall walls of stone rose from the ground, protecting at least half their company and most importantly, the prince, from the crashing boulders.

Why was everything suddenly going dark? Oh right. Don't forget to breathe He could practically hear Lakar speaking in his ear as he moved from one spell to another. Gasping in several gulps of air his vision cleared and Hemset rose fully to his feet.

Breathe.
The wind swept around the boy as he wove magic through the air with his hands. The staff still lay at his feet, ready to be used if needed but in all honesty, Hemset had not had enough practice with it.

The front ranks of the thieves and the soldiers clashed together. Cedric had his sword in hand, ready to join them in the fight and to hold his men together strong but the main group was now separated from Tanus and the few he had taken with him by a swarm of thieves... and Hemset stood alone, between the two groups.

Malum had hung back from the initial attack, watching from above with some curiosity. The set up had felt too easy and he wanted to see what game the Eldonians were playing. He had to admit, he did not expect to see the white cloak of a mage among them. It caught the dark King off guard and for a moment he even thought it might've been Lakar, somehow still alive but that fear was quickly calmed as it became clear that this new mage did not carry the same skill level as his predecessor. Still, he had managed to keep the prince safe, so that was at least admirable. Or more importantly, it kept things interesting.


Flow like a leaf on the wind. Breathe.
Hemset reached out his hands and a great gust blew a group of oncoming thieves crashing into the mountainside.

There was something familiar about that Mage... What was it? Malum wondered, he couldn't get quite a clear view of him from his perch but he had the uncanny feeling that they had met before.

Meanwhile Ro, who was in a much closer vicinity to Hemset would recognize him almost immediately. Certainly he wore much different clothing now than he had before but no white cloak or proper clean attire could mask a face that had spent at least a year by Malum's side.
That mage was one of Malum's pets. Or at least, he had been some two years ago. When he had disappeared it was just assumed that the king had finally killed him like the others, despite how long Hemset had been by his side in comparison to anyone else in that position.

And just like every other little pet, he had been solely devoted to the Dark King. He'd have done anything from massage Malum's feet to killing a man for him. So how on earth had he found his way into the Eldonian King's court?

Step, hold firm. Breathe.
Hemset dug his heel into the ground. Spikes of rock shot up from the earth in a row, impaling all who could not stop in time.

Tanus struggled to keep the thieves back as they kept coming, killing as many as he could. No sooner had he thrown one back with his shield had another bore down on him, giving him little time to compose and strike with his sword. He was caught off guard more than once, his shield arm had been cut, but luckily not deep enough to make him drop his guard. His men were suffering a similar struggle as he spotted the soldier who was hit by one of the girls daggers lying dead on the floor when one of the boulders crushed him. The remaining 4 men were struggling on, just managing to avoid the falling boulders, although two of them were too fighting with wounds in their arms and legs. Tanus looked back after cutting down another thieve and saw the magic Hemset was using to throw up a wall between the two groups, protecting the Heir. Unfortunately for Tanus, the wall was also blocking any other soldiers to assist him as he struggled by the entrance. He needed more men if he was going to beat them back, and the soldiers by his side knew it.

As the gust of wind blew several more thieves away, Tanus held strong and struck two more as they tried to get past him, watching a further few who succeeded get impaled by Hemsets spikes of rock, screaming in pain as they perished.

"Hold the line lads! We must not let them get past Hemset!"

Ro watched as the scene unfolded, from her position directly in the centre between the two groups, still stood still beside the cavern walls. She watched the magicians magic with awe, as he cast spell after spell killing many thieves in the process, not daring to get too close. When she heard the Knight shout his name, she instantly remembered who he was, and knew exactly what she must do. She was going to be in enough trouble with Malum as it was, so she HAD to do something.

She pushed herself away from the wall with a dagger in hand and called out to the boy. "You!! Stop!!" She screamed, suddenly realising that the only way to end his casting was to risk her own life. 'I'd much prefer to die here than by Malums hand...' She thought to herself, as she prepared her next move. She had fully expected the attack to be easy. If the scouts had known there had been a mage in the group they could have prepared better. At least they had separated the Knight from the Prince, all she had to do now was interrupt Hemset's spell and the thieves could get to the Wagon, and their precious cargo; Cedric included.

"Here goes nothing..." She said under her breath, her heart pounding and her eyes closed shut, and ran straight for Hemset, attempting to knock him down. She had no idea what would happen and she knew she was most likely to be spiked by one of the rocks shooting from the cave floor before she got there, but somehow she had just managed to avoid them, with one grazing her ankle and cutting her arm as she ran past. Ro let out a scream of pain and knocked the magician over, knocking her head on the jagged floor as she fell beside him. The walls protecting the main group suddenly began to drop so both the men protecting the wagon and the thieves bearing down on Tanus were no longer separated.

Rohesia struggled to keep conscious as her head burned from hitting the ground. As she laid beside the boy, she attempted to reach for her last dagger, before her consciousness overcame her and everything went black...

Tanus saw the walls come down and prepared for the worst. "Shield wall!" He shouted, towards the men surrounding the Prince. He saw the girl lying on the floor with a wound to her head and assumed she was dead, so he shook Hemset as hard as he could.

"Wake up boy! We need you! We can't hold them back!!" Tanus shouted, before narrowly avoiding a dagger aimed directly for his head. He quickly turned and with adrenaline pumping, re-joined the struggle, trying to keep the men away from Hemset, as the shield wall protected the Prince, for now...

Cedric hated feeling helpless. He was ready to fight, he wanted to fight and yet it was his duty to stay alive, as was it the duty of his soldiers to keep him safe. His grip on his sword tightened in frustration, what good was all his training if he couldn't come forth and use it damnit?!

Hemset's vision was so focused on each individual task that he didn't even really see Ro until she was barreling into him. He gasped in shock as he was hurled to the ground, causing the earth to split and shake.

Breathe.
The world was spinning and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath no matter how hard he tried.
Breathe Hemset, Breathe, Urged the voice in his head. Stand, get your footing. Hold firm.
He tried to get up but the world was a blur and his eyes were still white, wide and confused. All the sounds of battle filled his ears in a sudden rush, as though hearing them for the first time, he covered his ears and closed his eyes tight. Get a grip.

Lakar had always cautioned against situations like this. To be interrupted in the middle of casting was disorientating and occasionally a deadly misfortune depending on what sort of spell you were using. The elder mage always kept himself in careful control of his immediate surroundings, a talent that Hemset had yet to learn.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and the touch gave the mage something to focus on. Opening his eyes once more he blinked a few times and stared up at Tanus. The knight was speaking, what was he saying? They needed help.

Hemset found his footing at last, staggering to his feet and then planting them firmly once more. Feel the earth, give it life. Breathe. Twisted vines rose from the earth and wrapped around the attacking Thieves, strangling and hanging several while at least slowing down the rest. His fingers wrapped the mage staff, lifting it from the ground which seemed to cause bright runes to glow along the otherwise average looking walking stick.

Slamming the butt of the staff into the ground sent a light tremor through the earth, followed by a voice so powerful and echoing through the area it was hard to believe it had come from the boy, “BE GONE!” He demanded of the thieves, who seemed to be starting to get the hint.

Malum watched at soldiers cut down his men, yet the they might have been able to prevail if that mage had not started to massacre dozens himself. A little grin crossed the Dark King's lips. This was a losing battle with that mage in place yes, but it held so much promise for an interesting future. He gave the signal to withdraw and the thieves began their retreat, disappearing from wence they came. Though Ro was still unconscious on dead upon the ground, it would be a terrible shame if she was dead, she held such potential. Oh well.

From a distance it looked as though the mage still stood strong but the moment one got close they could see just how tightly he gripped the staff, as though it was the only thing holding him up. Sweat dripped from his brow and he was fighting to keep his breath as even as possible. Slowly he raised his gaze to look at Tanus, those fierce blue eyes weary and fighting off panic. “are they gone?” he whispered hopefully and it was good thing that indeed the attackers had left because the mage couldn’t pretend he was fine anymore. His knees buckled and Hemset fell forward towards the knight. The staff slipped from his fingers and clattered to the ground.

He had bluffed them essentially. Knowing that he could only cast three or four strong spells before collapsing, Hemset had thrown everything he had at the thieves and then pretended he had more to force their retreat. Meanwhile the last of his energy had barely managed to get the ground to tremble a little and project his voice; though because of that little stunt, with any luck, they might be able to get through the last half of the mountains without further incidents with the thieves. It was quite the play and had nearly cost him dearly.

The men cheered under their breath as the thieves began their retreat, thanks to Hemset's magic. They were sure they would have fallen had it not been for the bravery and determination, and every single man had a new found respect for the boy.

Tanus barely caught the young magician as he collapsed, his youth becoming all the more apparent, being forgotten in the attack. Tanus remembered Lakar telling him about the energy used during casting powerful spells, and he instantly knew that the boy was spent. He lifted the boy up so the Mage could lean against the cavern walls and checked him for injuries while the other men checked the wounded and the fallen, enemies included. One of the men called to Tanus as they checked Rohesia's body.

"She's still breathing sir, should i finish her?" The soldier shouted back.

"No, we keep that one for questioning, tie her up and bandage her wounds then throw her in the empty wagon." He called back.

"Kill any other survivors, and let us get out of here as quickly as possible, we cannot risk another night in these tunnels. And let's pray they don't return with more men. We did good lads, i'm proud of you all!" He finished, looking over at the Prince who was clearly unharmed.

"She will regret this day." Tanus said under his breath, furious at the men he had lost, before speaking to Hemset.

"I have underestimated you Hemset. You may well have just saved our lives." He paused, to stand and reach out his hand towards the boy.
"Can you stand?"

Ro was still unconscious when she was thrown in to the wagon, with a bandage wrapped around her bloody head and wounded arm and her weapons removed; the ones they knew about anyway.

Hemset’s skin felt like it was burning with an unnatural heat that was almost too hot to touch. He did not look well and soon fell unconscious before he could even answer Tanus' question.

Cedric moved forward through the soldiers to Tanus, looking at the unconscious Mage briefly, "He really can use magic" commented the prince for a second time since their journey began. He was rather impressed, "I would ask if he would live, but I think if we do not depart from these mountains soon then I will be asking that question for all of us. He has bought us time, we should not waste it."

The only thieves left to witness the company moving on were those with dead eyes, skewered upon spikes of stone or hanging by their throats from deadly vines. Looking at them gave a strange and unsettling idea. That Hemset, a fourteen year old boy, had essentially murdered just over a dozen people-thieves yes but still people. And he had done so without a second thought; no hesitation, no holding back. The only conclusion one could make from this was either the mage was heartless or these were not the first men the young boy had killed.

Tanus picked up the boy and laid him in the main cargo wagon on top of the horse fodder to rest, and once he was happy everybody was ready to move on, they picked up their torches from the fire they were going to use to burn the bodies and set off at a faster pace than the previous day. They had wasted enough time fighting with the thieves and attending to the wounded and each man wished to be in Egypt more than they had ever thought possible.

Tanus considered the magic Hemset had used on the enemy and, like other men, had found it not just surprisingly spectacular, but also unsettling. Even a soldier often found it difficult to cope after their first kill, yet Hemset carried on, casting spell after spell, like he had done it many times before. He wondered what kind of training the boy had been through under Lakars care, and whether he had been in a similar situation before, but decided that rather than ponder it further, he would simply support the boy. He was hoping all along, after all, that the young magician would prove to be useful in battle, and Hemset had surpassed all expectations.

Rohesia began to stir as the wagon started to move through the tunnels. She tried to reach for her paining head but failed as her hands and feet were bound tight. Ro's heart skipped a beat as she suddenly realised her predicament. What had happened to the other thieves, did Malum intervene? Is he angry? Do they think me dead? All these thoughts passed through her head, and none of them ended with any sort of optimism.
"Fantastic!"she thought, squinting at her darkened surroundings. She decided to sit quietly and pretend she was still unconscious, while planning how she would escape, beginning with the difficult task of freeing her hands from the ropes.

Malum had dispatched a couple of scouts to watch the group leave, but for now it was best to leave it be. They'd be out of his realm before another attacking force could be pulled together. That of course meant that Ro, if she was alive, was on her own.

They were nearing the end of the mountains near sunset. "Tanus, Shall we press on?" Cedric asked for his wisdom. The men were surely tired but the prince wanted to put as much distance between them and the mountains as possible-yet he did not want to press the men beyond their strength to collapsing. "If we go until sunrise, I think we will all rest a little safer" Not to mention Hemset was still firmly asleep.

"I tend to agree sire, we would not win another fight today with Hemset resting and several wounded soldiers. For all we know they could be coming for the girl. I'd like to question her, but not here. Let's press on, and once we reach a safer warmer spot, we can rest. I'm sure given the situation the Pharaoh won't mind if we arrive slightly later than planned." Tanus suggested, before giving his men some encouragement to keep going; promising wine and women on their arrival.

Tanus decided to send two scouts forward to check for a safe camping place once the first signs of sunlight began to rise. The climate was warming now they were nearing Egyptian territory, and the men were tiring quickly. The scouts returned an hour or so later to inform Tanus and the Prince. They had met with a farmer just outside of Egypt, who said the men could lock up their wagons in the barn and sleep nearby. It was by no means luxury, but they would at least feel safe in the knowledge that the cargo would be safely locked away. They had almost lost it once, along with their lives. It was also allow a safe place to question the prisoner without prying eyes. Perhaps punishment by the Egyptians would be more suited to a woman so eager to trick. Tanus had to smile at the though of the Pharaoh making her a slave.

Rohesia had heard the conversation between the men, and was unsettled to hear she was nearing Egypt. She had never been to this side of the world and knew little of the area, her skills most useful in Eldonia, where she knew of all the secret passages in and out of the city. Many tales of slavery and punishment had been told in Frodan and Rohesia was in no rush to become one of them. She had to get free before they reached Egypt. Eldonian's might have believed she was homeless or attacked, but no Egyptian was going to see through her deceit when she wore obvious Eldonian clothing. Luckily for her, the men that checked her for weapons had been respectful about it, and missed the remaining dagger she had in her under-garments. As soon as she could get her ropes were free, she would make her move, take the first horse she could, and run back to Frodan to inform Malum about the Mage. Ro hoped that the news would help her case if he chose to punish her for the loss of men.

Soon enough the group had reached the barn and they settled down to rest their battle worn bodies while the stable boy fed and watered the horses. As always, two men kept watch outside on a rotating pattern and another two kept watch inside the barn, ensuring the cargo was safe, which currently included a prisoner.

And this prisoner had finally succeeded in getting her arms out of the ropes. She knew she had no hopes of escaping with so many men asleep in the barn so she slipped the dagger to a more easily accessed position under her dress and slipped the ropes back on much looser, so it looked like she was still bound. She would be free soon enough, this at least gave her some relief.

Hemset had been asleep now for most of a day (the day of the battle) and the entire night, as well as into the morning. A few of the pages were taking turns keeping an eye on him because of the fever or whatever it was that seemed to cause his skin to burn like fire. Thankfully some time through the night he seemed to have managed to sweat it out and finally began to cool.

It was an hour or so before noon before the Mage finally began to stir and even then he did not look nor feel terribly well. He was a tad too pale and his head throbbed as though he was trying to recover from some awful flu. He dismissed the page however, not particularly fond of the idea of someone taking care of him.

Breathe Hemset reminded himself yet again as he took several deep and steady breaths before rising to see where they had ended up. It was significantly warmer, so that was a good sign but all the same Hemset stuck with his fully sleeved tunic, though he tucked Lakar's white cloak away into his pack for now. The staff yet again made for a good walking stick, he seemed to use it more for leaning on than actually casting spells ever.

Making his way into the sunlight, the boy shielded his eyes to allow them to adjust. The farm was along a stream that lead towards the nile, meaning that nearby the water was lush trees and vegetation but as soon as you would stray too far from it the land quickly turned to sand that stretched as far as the eye could see. Rolling hills of beige filled the horizon and Hemset took a moment to stare. What a sight!

Someone clapped him on the back, rather hard and Hemset stumbled forward, turning sharply as he was ready to snap at the individual, "What are you-!?! ... sire" Hemset greeted, quickly forcing his anger back down.

Cedric laughed, "Look who yet lives" he commented cheerily, "Gave us a bit of a scare for a moment there. Well done mage. I think we owe you one, isn't that right boys?" there was a cheer of agreement among the men who had now turned their attention to him.

"... thank you sire" Hemset swallowed anxiously, his fingers curling. Did everyone really have to stare at him like that? "but I was merely fulfilling my duty. I fought as everyone else did, the only way we each know how."

"And modest to" Cedric grinned and ruffled Hemset's hair, "come, you must be hungry" he invited the mage towards a cooking fire.

Hemset winced a little at the touch. His hair, really? He held a hand up to decline, "Much appreciated sire, but I could do with some fresh air and quiet instead." his stomach was feeling rather queezy and all this attention was not helping. "Excuse me" he bowed his head to Cedric before retreating towards the far side of the barn where he promptly emptied the contents of his stomach upon the ground.

After several nauseous minutes and deep breaths he seemed to notice that the barn was being guarded and an embarrassed red touched his cheeks for surely they had just watched him heave. Although something in the back of his head made him wonder, why there were so many to guard their stores? certainly yes, the cargo was important but did it merit this many watching over it? Or perhaps...

"Is someone in there?" Hemset questioned.

"Aye" the guard nodded, with a sympathetic smile towards Hemset's somewhat sickly appearance, "a prisoner, that thieving ringleader."

Hemset froze, surely... surely he didn't mean...
"... Has the prisoner been questioned yet?" he inquired.

"Nay, Sir Tanus has been busy assuring the wounded men are well, but he should be along shortly." the guard replied.

"Might I have a look?" Hemset dared to ask, "interrogation would not do well if the prisoner's injuries are too well along after all." and it was reasonable to conclude that anyone taken prisoner was injured. "I do feel better than I must look" he added to reassure that he could handle it.

After a moment's thought he gave a nod and let Hemset pass, "watch yourself though Mage. One never knows what these sort of foul folk will do"

Hemset nodded in agreement and entered the barn, assuring that the doors were well closed behind him. He took a deep breath before looking for their captive.

Rohesia listened intently at the familiar young voice just outside the barn where she was being held captive. It was that Magician again; one of Malums old pets. She could hardly have believed her eyes once she realised who he was. Kingdom secrets were a rare thing, and her curiosity for the truth took over as she considered how this latest twist could gain her more favour with the Dark Prince. If nothing else it would perhaps persuade Malum to keep her in his circle a while longer. Why, would such a puny child, destined to be murdered by Malum once he had his needs filled, become Eldonia's Mage? The heirs protection...From nothing...to this?

"That sneaky little...." She started under her breath, before she heard Hemset enter the barn, with the doors closing behind her. This could be her chance to escape, she soon realised, as she began formulating her plan, beginning with a quick check over her ropes to ensure they could be removed rapidly. The mage might be weakened from his fight with the thieves, but she was not going to risk becoming his next skewered and strangled victim either.

"Come, Come, Don't be shy..." She whispered, feeling mischievous. Ro knew it was unlikely the Eldonians knew where he'd come from. It was almost too perfect. Oh what news this would be for the Dark King Malum. Her only regret was that she wouldn't be able to see the shock on Prince Cedric's face when he finds out the truth. Rohesia would be long gone, or so she hoped....

"I have sooooo many questions, little magician boy." She said, with a grin filling her face.

Hemset almost seemed relieved at her voice as he turned to face her. So the guard had meant the girl, not the true ringleader. Not the King, thank the gods. Of course it had been a ridiculous thought, that they could have possibly captured Malum of all people. Walking over to her Hemset's vibrant blue eyes looked her over, calculating. He stopped a safe distance away, "... so you know me then" he observed. That certainly answered his main question, he had recognized her but the fact that she remembered him as well meant he had rather few options.

"I am not interested in your questions" the mage spoke firmly, "you however, should listen to my words carefully. You will be questioned soon, I don't care what you say about the thieves, or the mountain or Malum but you will not say a word about me. You do not know me, do you understand? You have never seen me before. You so much as dare speak my name and I will kill you before the thought can become sound. In return for your silence, I will provide you with safe escape and you can flee back to your mountains and beg that god-forsaken false-King for your life. Though I would advise toward an alternative path. Are my words clear enough for you?" he demanded.

If she disagreed, he wouldn't have a choice but to kill her though that would prove more difficult than he made it sound. He wasn't in any shape to be casting spells right now and he didn't really know of any subtle ones that he could get away with without raising questions either. Murder had not been one of Lakar's larger teaching points. But if she agreed to his terms, then perhaps he could avoid having his whole world come crashing down around him. Surely the prince or the King for that matter would not stand for someone like him in their court. Their ignorance was crucial.

"Now, Come on. You spoil my fun Hemset. At least give me something for my trouble? Don't i deserve a little explanation?" She said sarcastically, while thinking of her next words carefully. She found it difficult to trust Hemsets words, still seeing him as the fragile pet that he used to be. Having him stand before her now was confusing to say the least. Ro had seen his skills at work, and knew he would undoubtedly kill her on the spot if she said anything while being questioned by the royal prince and their knight.
'There will be a better time...' She thought, before continuing.

"Fine, Magician. I will take your offer. But you know this won't be the end of the matter. You can't honestly believe you will be safe forever. Nobody escapes Malums grasp. Even i know that."

Rohesia had her way out at last. If the boy made good of his word she could be back in the mountains soon enough. Hemset's secret was safe, for now. What the dark Prince planned for the Eldonian's return to their own lands however, was yet to be determined...

Tanus was on his way to the wagon, which held the deceitful girl, who had killed one of his own men and harmed another. He was angry, that much was clear, but he knew he had to resist his true desires to slaughter the woman for all she deserved. 'The Pharaoh can deal with this woman; death is too kind', he thought. If the Egyptians knew one thing well, that was punishment. Slavery was a common disciplinary action for criminals in their realm, and he was sure that the King of Egypt would jump at the chance once he heard what the girl had intended to do with their cargo.

"Ready my Lord?" He asked, referring to Cedric, who would be joining him for the questions.

"Certainly" cedric replied and the pair headed for the barn. The guard stepped aside and opened the door for them, revealing the girl and Hemset speaking.

Hemset had been about to reply with a snide remark when the doors opened and he quickly closed his mouth and turned to see who it was. He bowed his head to Cedric, he did not miss the irony of exchanging one king for another but all the same at least cedric and his father would give him more than a moments peace if he asked for it.

Cedric was surprised to see the mage, "hemset" he greeted, "what are you doing in here?"

It had taken a long time to break old habits ingrained in him by Malum and others, lying to his king had never been a thing he could do, and for a moment, the briefest of moments Ro saw that look in his eyes that told the old Hemset was still there. "... checking on the prisoner sire" hemset replied, it was technically the truth. Checking to make sure she wouldn't blow his cover anyway. Since leaving the castle it was starting to seem like being uncomfortable was a constant state of mind for the boy, barely making eye contact unless he was angry and almost always digging his nails into the palms of his hands as he squeezed them tight, it was like he was looking for something to hold onto for risk of being swept away.

Cedric just smiled, obliviously accepting his word for it, something that Hemset was rather grateful for and helped him relax, if ever so slightly. Malum would have caught the half-truth immediately. Cedric patted hemset on the shoulder. "Good lad, but I think you have done more than enough for us of late. Why don't you rest? You still appear rather pale"

"I would like to hear what she has to say" Hemset admitted, trying to think of a better excuse to stick around. Thankfully he didn't need one.

Cedric shrugged, "unless Tanus can think of a reason why not, it is alright with me." there was no reason not to believe Hemset, and for the moment the mage had earned some lee-way.

"Not a problem Hemset, i do believe you deserve an explanation as much as the rest of us." Tanus replied, his expression turning sour as he saw the grinning girl tied up against the wagon.

"Now. Are you going to co-opperate or would you rather be thrown in to Nile for the crocodiles?" He asked, scowling, his fist clenched on his side. He kneeled down towards the young girl.

"That depends on your questions." Rohesia replied, still grinning, as if she had no fear. Technically she was afraid, she wanted to live like any body else, and wished nothing more than getting back to Malum with her news, but for all she knew, the Prince could kill her before Hemset even got a chance to get her out.

"Perhaps i have questions too. We can take in turns." Rohesia said, glancing over at the magician.

"Not today. You will get your chance in Hell!" Tanus said, striking the girl across the face, but not hard enough to draw blood.

"Now tell me who you are. Your tale may have fooled two of my men, one of whom you murdered! But we don't believe for a second you were kidnapped by slavers. So who were you working with? And what did you expect to gain? NO lies!" He shouted, trying to intimidate the girl. He had hoped to scare her in to the truth. Perhaps she would prefer to live than support her own, she certainly seemed like the selfish type; out for herself, lying and cheating her way through life may get her so far, but she was on her way to the Pharaoh VERY soon, who had a less than forgiving nature when it came to thieves.


Rohesia flinched as the Knight struck her, not expecting it, before looking back at Hemset.
"I'll tell you one thing, if i'd have known you had that magician boy with you, i might have re-considered. But where's the fun in that? Lakar certainly kept him well hidden, didn't he?" She said, still keeping eye contact with the young mage, trying to scare him, although she didn't plan to let out his secret, just yet.

"That leads me to my question...." She started. Rohesia thought herself brave, as risky as that might be She wanted to know how serious Hemset was about his threat. Perhaps if she could scare him in to thinking she might speak, he would reveal himself as the scared, weak little boy Malum used to love keeping around.

"Evidently Lakar was wise to do so" Cedric commented, his arms crossed. He didn't believe it very noble to strike a woman but this was an interrogation and he would never think less of Tanus for being so outraged at the loss of his men. "But you have neglected to answer our questions. So I do not care to hear yours. Who are you?" He demanded for the second time. He wasn't going to answer any of her inquiries, at least, not until she answered a few of theirs first.

She was quite beautiful though, a fact that Cedric couldn't help but notice. He also couldn't help but think of what a shame it was to mare such a pretty face. Had she been of a different profession, who knows under what better circumstances they could have met?

Hemset was keeping his distance, both Tanus and Cedric had their backs to him so neither would witness his eyes turning stark white as he kept Ro's gaze. One wrong word and she would find herself rather stabbed. At least, as long as he could summon more than just visual effects, but she didn't know just how little magic he had at the moment so hopefully she would comply.

The mage was also trying to keep his breathing even and his stomach settled. Since she had interrupted one of his spells the whole rhythm of his body seemed... off. He needed the time to stop and clear away the tainted magic before he could truly recover. But now was not the time for that. He had bluffed the thieves into a full retreat, surely he could bluff her into doing what he wanted as well.

Rohesia considered her reply carefully after seeing Hemset's eyes turn white as pearls, as they had before when he was killing several of her fellow thieves without a second thought. He was not the same boy she remembered, and although he was a fair few years her junior, he was dangerous, and she'd have a much better chance with malum and his men. They'd have to head back to Eldonia eventually, right?

"I have nothing against you Prince Cedric, i admire you, really i do. You are the same as me, no choice but to do as your family commands. Tell me i'm wrong." Rohesia had decided on her tactic, even if she was almost telling the truth there. Malum and Frodan was her family now, and it no doubt would be until she died, doing what she did best. Hemset would see through her lies of course, but she doubted he would call her up on it; after all, how would he know?

(deleted due to pg-13 breach)

Not Rohesia's usual tactic when trying to get out of a situation, admittedly, but she could hardly stick the heir to the Eldonian Capital in the neck like her last victim, or many before that. She also knew the knight would be suspicious of her story, but after he struck her, it seemed the best way to go. Of course, some of that was true, before she was taught her skills she had to know the ways of a man. How to seduce, and please, and not all of those were nice people. She soon got her revenge. But the Prince of Eldonia was not a bad man, he was doing as he should. Looking after his realm, protecting his people, and being honourable. And he was just young enough to try and manipulate; having not been set up for marriage quite yet, he was eager to look for women to practice with, no doubt.

"Poppycock. More lies, i know it!" Tanus shouted, not believing her fake tears for a moment. He was too angry at the loss of men the previous day to even consider she had a harsh upbringing. Many did, it was a way of life. But to have the nerve to stand against the kings army took more than just bravery. She knew exactly what she was doing.

"I will accept whatever punishment i deserve. I do not wish to speak more. I want only time to pray to my God for forgiveness before i die." She said, turning her head away from Tanus and Cedric, still playing her . With some she would be free'd before they had chance to carry out their punishment, with or without Hemsets help. Rohesia only wished to be free before she was too far within Egyptian's sandy hills and harsh, hot temperatures.